Garment



Nov. 18, 1941. J. H. STANLEY 2,262,867

1 GARMENT y Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Z www;

Patented Nov. 18, 1941 GARMENT Jacob Howard Stanley, Spring City, Pa., assigner to Jacob Howard Stanley and Edward Emmers, copartners trading and doing business as E-Cut Knitting Mills, Royersford, Pa.

Application January 23, 1941, Serial No. 375,557

y(Cl. 2-111) 4 Claims.

Thisvinvention relates to an improvement in garments and more particularly to an improvement in that type of garment in which the shoulder portions are formed by overlapping aps of material, which, when the garment is to be donned or removed, permit enlargement of the neck opening of the garment.

Garments of the 4general character of those to which this invention relates are, for example, exemplified by the United States patent to Hatch No. 1,582,815, and in general are more especially adaptable, in the form of shirts, training suits, union suits, and the like, for childrens wear.

Garments of the general type to which this invention more particularly relates have heretofore proved variously advantageous, but have been found objectionable, in particular, in that the neck opening, readily enlarged for donning or removal of the garment, sags open and mists in ordinary wear of the garment. The improvement in construction contemplated and comprising the invention here removes such objection and insures a non-sagging, nicely fitting neck opening in ordinary wear without sacrifice of the advantage of the ready enlargement of the neck opening aiorded by the overlapping ap shoulder construction.

Having now indicated in a general way the nature and purpose of this invention, I will proceed to a detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a garment embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the garment shown in Figure 1, with the sleeves broken away.

Figure 3 is a front view of a garment embodying a modification of this invention.

Figure 4 is a view of line 4--4, Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the body of the garment comprising the front I and back 2 is desirably, though not necessarily, formed from a tubular knitted fabric. The upper edges of the front and back are cut out centrally as at 3, 3', respectively, to form portions of the normal neck opening, and are cut out adjacent the sides as at 4, 4 to form the lower portions of the arm holes. The front and back intermediate the neck cut outs 3, 3 and the armhole cut outs 4, 4, are cut away on lines extending downwardly from the neck toward the arm pits, for example, to points at or adjacent to the arm pits, and extensions II of which form acute angles with the horizontal shoulder line I0.

The shoulder portions of the garment, both shoulder portions being identical, are formed respectively by independent, generally triangular extension flaps desirably of knitted fabric 5, 5', sewed respectively along one edge, as by seams 6, 6', to the cut away upper edges of the front and back of the body between the neck cut outs 3, 3 and the armhole cut outs 4, 4. The edges of the members 5, 5 secured to the front and back are of a length to extend from the normal neck opening portions 3, 3 to the armhole portions 4, 4.

The extension flaps 5, 5' are arranged in partially overlapping relation, as shown in Figure 2, and are secured respectively along another edge to the sleeves 1, 1, respectively, as by seams 8, 8, which are extended to secure the sleeves to the body of the garment throughout the armhole portions 4, 4.

The third edge of each of the extension flaps is free and is formed, throughout the non-overlapping portion of the aps, to complete the normal neck opening partially formed by the cut outs 3, 3.

The seams 6, 6', by which the extension flaps 5, 5 are secured to the front and back of the body, will, as will now be noted, extend from points below the shoulder line Illon lines extending downwardly toward the arm pits or to points adjacent the arm pits and extensions I I of which form acute angles with the shoulder line l0. The

seams 6, 6 connect with a reinforcement for the neck opening, as tape 9 and with the sleeve seams 8, 8.

By virtue of the point of initiation of the seams 6, 6', i. e., below the shoulder line, and their downward extension and connection with the neck reinforcement and sleeve seams, they act to negative the eiect of and to restrain forces acting on the resilient knitted fabric to cause the normal neck opening to sag and open up in ordinary wear. On the other hand, they do not exert any negative or restraining eiect whatever upon full opening of the neck, enabled by the overlapping flaps 5, 5', when the garment is donned or removed.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the garment illustrated is constructed as is the garment of Figures 1 and 2, the above description of which is referred to, except that the front l and back 2 of the body is formed of double thickness seamed at the edges I6, as shown in Figure 4, and as indicated in Figure 3, in which the double thickness portions are shaded; and that adjacent bands I2, formed, for example, of tape, or other suitable material, are secured as by sewing to the front, or, if desired, about the lower portion of the :body, as foundations for the securing to the body of buttons I5 for the attachment of pants, as in a childs training suit. The buttons l5 originally secured to the upper of the bands I2 may, as occasion demands, be readily moved to the lower band for enlargement of the overall length of the combined shirt and pants.

In the modification shown in Figures 3 and `4, it will be noted that the double thickness of fabric extends in the back up to the neck cut out 3', thus affording protection for the lungs from the rear, l

It will be understood that it is not intended that the above detailed description, given for illustrative purposes, shall be limiting, since various modification maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. e

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment having a front, a back and sleeves, pairs of iiaps extending from the front and back` arranged in overlapped relation to form shoulder portions and portions of the normal neck opening, the flaps forming the shoulderportions respectively being secured along one edge, to a sleeve and one flap of each pair being secured along one edge to the front along a line extending downwardly from a point in the neck opening below the horizontal shoulder line to a point in the line of connection of the said aps respectively with the sleeves respectively, said last mentioned point being substantially below the said point in the neck opening.

2. A garment having a front, a back an sleeves, pairs of substantially triangular independent flaps extending from the front and back arranged in overlapped relation to form shoulder portions and portions of the normal neck opening, the flaps forming the shoulder portions respectively being secured along one edge to a sleeve and one ap of each pair being secured along one edge to the front and the other Ilap of each pair being secured along one edge i-o the back along lines extending downwardly from points in the neck opening below the horizontal shoulder line to points in the line of connection of the said ilaps` respectively with the sleeves respectively, said last mentioned points being substantially below the said points in the neck opening.'

3. A garment having a front, a back and sleeves, the front and back being cut out at their upper edges to form portions of the normal neck opening, being cut adjacent their edges at points below the cut outs forming portions of the normal neck opening to form the lower portions of the arm holes and being cut away on a downwardly extending line Ibetween said cut outs forming portions of the normal neck opening and said cuts forming portions of the arm holes, pairs of aps extending from the front and back arranged in overlapped relation to form shoulder portions and portions of the normal neck opening, the flaps forming the shoulder portions respectively being secured along a part of one edge to each other and along one edge to a sleeve and one flap of each pair being secured along one edge to the front and one flap of each pair being secured along one edge to the back along a downwardly extending -line between the portions of the normal neck opening and the portions of the arm holes.

4. A garment having a iront, a back and sleeves, pairs of substantially triangular independent flaps extending from the front and back arranged in overlapped relation to form shoulder portions and portions of the normal `neck opening, the ilaps forming the shoulder portions respectively being secured along one edge to a sleeve and one flap of each pair being secured along one edge to the front and the other llap of each pair being secured along one edge to the back, along lines extending downwardly from points in the neck opening below the horizontal shoulder line to points in the line of connection of the said ilaps respectively with the sleeves respectively, said last mentioned points being substantially below the said points in the neck opening and the flaps of each pair being secured together along a part of one edge. i

JACOB HOWARD STANLEY. 

